Getting Started
In May 2018, 150 people gathered in Eugene to kick off the Spreading Kindness Campaign by discussing the transformational power of kindness and various ways of generating more kindness. One of the highlights of that event was a reading of the Peace Pledge that was written by students in Springfield, Oregon following a tragic school shooting. View a local news clip about the workshop here, or watch the full workshop here.
Our Spreading Kindness Campaign is currently focusing on helping Eugene become a “City of Kindness.” We are meeting with schools, city officials, business groups, faith based organizations, the county, non-profits, and under represented groups to discuss how we can increase kindness.
We also try to help people expand their own capacity for being kind with resources listed under “Personal Kindness.”
We invite you to help us spread kindness by exploring some of the options on this website under “Spread Kindness.” You could volunteer for one of the groups helping the homeless, put up a kindness yard sign, host a dinner party with a focused discussion on kindness, or share an inspiring act of kindness.
Our goal is to increase kindness in our community, one small act at a time.
Organizing Spreading Kindness
Our Kindness Workshop was organized by community members including: Doug Carnine (Author How Love Wins), Bhavia Wagner (Friendship with Cambodia), David Hazen (Emerald Compassion Action Network), Helen Park (Alternatives to Violence Project), Michael Carrigan (Community Action of Lane County, CALC), Bruce Abel (former Director of Mental Health for Trillium), Steve Christiansen (Board of Directors, Sponsors, Inc. and DanceAbility International), Bingham Powell (St. Mary’s Episcopal Church), Gary Baran (Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication), and others.
Our Steering Committee consists of Doug Carnine, LeeAnn Sheehan, Bruce Abel, Steve Christiansen, Maggie Donahue, Stan Paine, and Bhavia Wagner.
